Advertisement
In a poignant moment at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium, the third Test between India and England began with an emotional ceremony as right-handed batter Sarfaraz Khan received his Test cap from the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble.
As Anil Kumble handed Sarfaraz his Test cap, the scene unfolded with Sarfaraz’s father-cum-coach, Naushad Khan, visibly moved by the heartfelt moment. Sarfaraz, sporting a jacket with ‘cricket is everyone’s game’ written on the back, ran across the boundary to share the cap with his emotional father and wife watching from the sidelines.
Despite being a consistent run-scorer in domestic cricket for Mumbai and showcasing his skills for India ‘A’ against England Lions, Sarfaraz had missed out on a Test debut on multiple occasions. With Shreyas Iyer absent from the squad and KL Rahul recovering from an injury, Sarfaraz finally earned his Test cap, becoming the 311th Test cricketer for India in the third Test against England.
Advertisement
Anil Kumble, in a speech before presenting the Test cap, expressed his pride, saying, “Really proud of you, the way you have come through. I am sure your dad and family are extremely proud of what you have achieved. I know you have done all the hard work. There were some disappointments but despite that, all the runs that you’ve scored through the domestic season have brought you here.”
In his illustrious first-class career of 45 matches, Sarfaraz has amassed 3,912 runs at an impressive average of 69.85, including 14 centuries and 11 fifties. His recent performances, including scores of 96, 4, 55, and 161 against England Lions, further strengthened his case for a Test debut.
During the initial session of play, Naushad, in the Hindi commentary box, responded to questions about the wait for Sarfaraz’s Test debut, stating, “Raat ko waqt chahiye guzarne ke liye, Sooraj meri marzi se nahi nikalne waala (it takes time for the night to pass, the sun is not going to rise according to my wish).”
–IANS
